Tuning mechanism



Feb M, T1936. A, G. WHELLER TUNING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22,v 1953 2 Sheegs-Shee'c l INVENTOR. LF/aeo 6. h/HE/.Lefa

Feb. M, i936. A. G. WHELLER TUNING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1933 2 SliebS-Shee(l 2 INENTOR. LFEED 6: M/HELLER Patented Feb. 11, 1936 2,030,129

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE TUNING MECHANSM Alfred G. Wheuer, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 22, 1933, Serial No. 686,288

9 Claims. (Cl. Z50- 20) `My invention relates to automatically conthe circuit in which same are intended to func- -trolled tuning mechanisms for use in connection tion.

with the customary forms of variable condensers A still further object of the invention is to proof radio tuning circuits. vide cooperable tuning mechanisms which can be AIn tuning circuits of the type employing variaeasily controlled. 5 ble condensers, it is common in the art to mount A still further object of the invention is to prothe movable plates of the condenser on a rotary, vide an automatic time controlled tuning mechamanually actuated shaft in order that the said nism which Will operate With a high measure of movable plates may be adjusted relatively to the efciency and accuracy and allow for ne o1' close 10 "co-operable fixed plates to thereby change the tuning. '10 capacity of said condenser. The supporting Another object of the invention is to provide a shaft for the said movable plates is generally combination of independently functioning tuning equipped with a dial on which a wave-meter scale mechanisms Which may be compactly arranged in is formed and said dial co-a-cts with a pointer to the instrument, in which same shall be used. v-l indicate an intended angular position of the mo-v- Another object is to provide co-operable mechl5 able plates relatively to said fixed plates. Mechansm of the kind stated which shall be of exanism such as briefly referred to above is capable tremely simpleconstruction, and aside from beof being freely actuated manually at any and all ing positively acting, Will possess such features times so that the instrument may be tuned for reand advantages as would be expected to prevent 20 ception of sound transmitted on a known Wave same from being rendered inoperative or wore-"20 :'25 tuning set of the type above referred to. To the quickly by any person desiring to make use therelength. liable of action by frequent operation thereof.

In carrying my invention into practice, it is A still further object of the invention is to pronot intended to depart from the common struc- Vide respective coi-operable tuning mechanisms tural and functional characteristics of a radio Whose actuations may be eiected easily and contrary, I propose to retain these features and of, and to arrange said mechanisms in a Way that qualities in order that the radio set may be tuned Will not detract from the general beauty and demanually as and when desired. That is to say, it sign of a cabinet of which they shall become ay is an important object of my invention to employ part.

all of the above named instrumentalities in. con- The invention consists in the novel construcjunction with automatically controlled mechation, arrangement and combinations of parts as nism by means of which a particular pre-selected hereinafter described and claimed.

vtuning of the set may be effected at a predeter- Reference is to be had to the accompanying mined future time, thus leaving the normal drawings forming `a part of this specification, in y tuning mechanism free for manual actuation at which similar characters of reference indicate 3 the pleasure of the user. corresponding parts in al1 the views.

While I have referred to a use of the invention In the drawings! in commotion specifically with sound instru- Figure 1 is a section taken horizontally through ments such as radio receiving sets, I shall have it the front Wall of a radio cabinet showing the "0 dearly understood that this reference is not by vrespective tuning mechanisms in operative asso- 40 Way of limitation, as it isproposed thatr it be ciation with the rotary shaft which carries the used in combination with any transmitting mechadjustable plates of a variable condenser; anisms such, for instance, as employed in the art Figure 2 is a front view of the respective mechof television. v anisms showing same set for tuning of the cir- An important feature of the invention resides cuit on respectively `different wave lengths at in the novel combination of respective tuning respectively different times; mechanisms, one of which is capable of manual Figure 3 is a View partly in front elevation and adjustment at any time, regardless of the time partly in section of certain of the parts of the ,50 when the other thereof shall automatically functime controlled or automatic mechanism; u tion in response to a predetermined setting of Figure 4 is a schematicperspective view showsame. ing the respective elements or main working parts Another object of the invention is to provide a aS they WOuld appeal' When Separated IOm each novel order and relationship of working -parts other but in an order relatively to each other as "u which need not require that changes be made in 1 Wouldindicate' a pre-setting of one of the tuning .55

mechanisms and a neutral condition of the other or time controlled mechanism;

,Figure 5 is a view in front elevation of the respective dials showing a modified form of setting means therefor.

In the accompanying drawings represents the front wall of a radio cabinet in which is journaled for rotation a shaft 2 having a knob 3 by means of which the shaft can be actuated. This shaft is adapted to constitute a part of any suitable well known form of variable condenser (not shown). I wish to make it clear that I am not interested in any special construction of condenser, and means for changing the capacity thereof. Adjustment thereof can be provided for by any suitable well known means that may suggest itself to any person skilled in the art. The means employed, however, is suitable in every respect and where such shaft 2 is employed, it obviously follows that same shall function as a mounting or support for the customary adjustable plates of the condenser, whereby said plates can be adjusted relatively to the coacting fixed plates of said condenser.

Fixed at 4 to the shaft 2 is a dial 5 on the front face of which is a wave meter scale 6, adapted to be viewed from a sight opening 1 in the wall I, and to coact with a pointer 8 which is disposed above said opening. In this manner, it follows that the dial 5 can be turned at will for ordinary tuning purposes. In one-half of the dial 5 is formed a semi-circular slot 9 whose purpose will be explained after a brief description of the several structural features has exhausted itself. To this point in the description I have set forth essentially those elements required for an ordinary manual tuning of the receiving set, and to this extent said elements mutually contribute to produce one of the tuning mechanisms of the system, the general scheme of which is of particular interest to me. The remaining one of the mechanisms of the system I will now proceed to describe, in so far as concerns the essential structural characteristics thereof.

In front of the dial 5 is a somewhat smaller dial I 0, which, when placed in the position shown in Figure 2, will not obscure the wave-meter scale 6 of the aforementioned dial 5. This last said dial is formed to provide a semi-circular slot I I, the latter occupying approximately one-half of the dial or that portion thereof which is situated at one side of the horizontal axis thereof, and, as illustrated, said dial is formed at its horizontal center with a bearing opening I 2 whose diameter is considerably greater than the diameter of the shaft 2 which passes therethrough. On the front face and in the other half of the dial l is a wavemeter scale, indicated at I3, and like the scale 6 of the dial 5, the markings thereon range from 0 to 100, although this may obviously be modied without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention. 'I'he peripheral face of the dial i0 is formed with worm teeth I3a designed to intermesh with a manually controlled worm gear I4. This worm gear is carried by a shaft I mounted behind the wall I, and same has a bevel pinion I6 which meshes with a like pinion I5 on a control shaft I8. The dial I0 is very closely related to the dial 5 and its wave-meter scale I3 is intended to be read through a window opening I 9 in the wall I and to co-act with a pointer 20.

Interposed between the dials 5 and IU are flat disks 2| and 22,the former having a cylindrical hub accommodated in thev aforementioned bearing opening I2 in the disk II) and having a bearing passage 24 in which the shaft 2 is adapted to freely rotate so that adjustment of the dial 5 may be effected whenever desired. In one half of the peripheral face of the disk 2| I provide ratchet teeth 25, and extending transversely through the disk is a semi-circular slot 26.

'Ihe peripheral face of the disk 22 is formed with a semi-circular series of ratchet teeth 21, and extending transversely through the disk 22 is a semi-circular slot 28. To the extent thus far described, it is obvious that the disks 2| and 22 are similar to each other. Projecting from the front face of the disk 2| is a pin 29 which enters the slot II in the dial I0 and at the rear face of said disk 2| is a pin 30 of a length to pass through both the slot 28 in the disk 22 and the slot 9 in the dial 5. On the front face of the disk 22 is a forwardly extending pin 3| of a length to pass through both of the slots I I and 26 in the dial I0 and said disk 2|, and on the rear face of said disk 22 is a pin 32 which extends into the slot 9 in the dial 5.

The disk 2| is formed with an internal gear 33 and meshing therewith and with an external gear 34, the latter formed on the periphery of a spring drum 35, is a gear pinion 36. The said gear pinion 36 is mounted on a stud 31 which extends forwardly from the front face of the disk 22. Contained in the drum 35 is a convolute spring 38, one end of which is attached to a pin 39 on the said disk 22 and the other end attached to the hub 40 of said drum, whereby the disk 2| will be urged in a clockwise direction by said spring and the disk 22 in a counterclockwise direction. Spring-pressed 4dogs 4| and 42 lco-act with the respective ratchet faces 25 and 21 of the disks 2| and 22, and said dogs are formed with an armature 43. Because of the fact that the ratchet teeth 21 are reversely inclined relative to the teeth 25, it follows that the latching ends of the said dogs are respectively oppositely beveled. Co-operable with the armature 43 is .an electro-magnet 44 which, when energized, will retract said dogs from their respective ratchet faces on said disksA 2| and 22. This magnet may be connected in any suitable well known electrical circuit, such as is conventionally illustrated at A, which said circuit includes a time-controlled mechanism B. It is in this manner that the dogs 4| and 42 will be released at a predermined time. The circuit A may also include a manually actuated switch C for breaking same, when desired. I show these dogs and their co-acting ratchet surfaces as one operative known mechanical means for releasing said disks 2| and 22, and for enabling said disks to respond to the action of said spring 38. It will accordingly be understood that any approved well known means may be substituted therefor within the scope of the hereto appended claims. I have now set forth the details of construction of the second or so-called time-actuated tuning mechanism herein employed, and shall, therefore, proceed to briefly describe the operation of said second mechanism and shall illustrate how it co-acts with the rst or so-called manually controlled mechanism for the purpose of satisfying the several objects elsewhere referred to herein.

On reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that the dial I0 of the time-controlled mechanism by chance occupies .a position Where its wave-meter scale I3 registers 50 at the pointer 20, at which time the slot in said dial occupies a position where the end walls lla and in Figure 2.

' "muy aimed so that the pin '29 of the next adjacent disk 2| will directly bear .against the end wall rIla of said slot. The slot 9 in the disk 5 will substantially occup-y the position shown in said Figure 4 so that the pin 32 of the disk 22 will engage against the end wall 9a of the slot 9 in said dial 5, as will be clearly understood. The dial 5 has its wave-meter scale also .adjusted so that the 50 marking thereon will register with its c0- acting pointer 8. This, we may assume, was done intentionally. rI'he pin 3| of the disk22 will engage with the closed end 26a of the slot 26 in the disk 2| and with the closed end IIb of the slot I in the dial I0, and the pin 30 on the disk 2| will vbear against the closed end 9b of the slot 9 in said dial 5 and ,against the closed end 28a of the slot 28 in the disk 22. WeI Will assume that the dials 5 and I9 occupy the positions shown in Figure 4 as a mere coincidence. Now let us assume that it is intended that the radio receiver be manually set for a reception o-n a wave length of 50 of dial 5 and that it is intended that the time controlled dial ||l be set for tuning in at a future time on a wave length of 70, as illustrated The operator simply rotates the dial I9 for such `predetermined tuning, and in so doing the Wall Ha of the slot Il in said dial will press downwardly against the pin 29 of the disk 2| to thereby move the latter in a counterclockwise direction. When the limit of the desired adjustment of this dial has been reached, the dial Will be effectively held in said position by its latching dog 42 which engages the ratchet surface 25. In like manner the surface 21 of the disk 22 Will be engaged by its co-acting dog 4|. After the dial I0 has been thus set the dial 5 may be turned as often and whenever desired, without in any manner disturbing the adjusted condition of the time responsive dial |0. The instrument B of the control circuit A of which the electro-magnet 44 forms a part may be set so that the circuit will be closed at a predetermined time, thus causing the said magnet to be energized, the armature 43 retracted, and the dogs 4| and 42 disengaged from their co-acting surfaces 25 and 21. The controlling means, consisting of the Worm gears I3 and |4 and the intermediate gear pinions and I8, is such that the dial lll cannot be turned except by manual manipulation of said means. As stated, it so happens from the particular relative positions of the parts in Figure 4 of the' drawings that with the dials 5 and 10 in the positions therein shown, the en'd wall Ila of the slot in the dial Il! will be in direct engagement with the pin 29 on the disk 2| so that when the disk is turned counterclockwise, or in a direction towards the 70 marking on the dial, the disk 2| will be correspondingly turned. It also happens that in Figure 4 the pin 30 on the disk 2| is at the end 28a of the slot 28 in the disk 22, and that the pin 3| on the disk 22 is at the end 26m of the slot 26 in the disk 2|. It will be further noted that the pin 32 of the disk 22 is directly engaged with the end wall 9a of the slot 9 in the dial 5. We can say, as elsewhere alluded to, that it is by chance that the aforestated parts are in the positions just referred to, but let it be clearly understood that when any particular ,adjustment of the dial l0 for a predetermined tuning of the radio receiver is made the disks 2| and 22 will always be moved with said dial if by chance their pins 30 and 32 are in positions where they will be engaged by the end walls of said slot With the dial I0 turned to cause the 70 marking of its scale I3 to register with its pointer 20, as shown in said Figure 2, the mechanism is set and when the electromagnet 44 is energized, the disks 2| and 22 will be released and the dial 5 will be moved to cause its 70 marking on its scale 6 to register with the pointer 9. After the dial l!) has been adjusted for a predetermined automatic tuning of the receiver .at a future time, the dial 5 may be freely moved manually to any selected position as often as desired. It should be clearly understood, however, that when manually moving the dial 5 in one direction or another and after a setting of the dial It for automatically changing the tuning at a designated future time, the walls 9a and 9b will co-act with the respective pins 30 and 32, and relative movement will therefore be set up in the disks 2l and 22, thus tensioning the spring 38. Here, it will be noted that because the ratchet teeth 25 extend at an opposite angle to the teeth 27, the tension of the spring is retained until the dogs 4| and 42 are released from said teeth at a predetermined time.

In Figure 5, the dials 5a and |5a correspond with the. dials 5 and I5. The dial |90, is provided with an annular series or" worm teeth 45 and a co-acting manually controlled worm gear mechanism 45, the latter being like the Worm gear mechanism which I stated coi-acted with the dial I9. The dial 5a has an annular series of gear teeth 5b which mesh with a manually actuated spur gear 5c.

While I have shown the invention applied to a receiver o-f the kind employing tuning dials, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited in this respect.

It is believed that the simplicity of the invention is self-evident and that it will be appreciated that same may be readily adapted to many forms of radio receiving instruments now in general use.

Having now fully described both the functional and structural features of the invention and the manner in which the invention can be carried into eiect and operated, by one ordinarily skilled in the art, What I claim as my invention is:

1. Tuning mechanism for radio receivers comprising a manually actuatable tuning dial; a resetting dial having its supporting axis co-incident with that of the first dial and mounted to turn independently of said rst dial; means co-operable with both dials and controlled by an actuation imparted to the resetting dial for predetermining a resetting of the rst dial; and means actuatable by the resetting dial for rendering the cci-operable means active for a resetting of said rst dial at the expiration of a predetermined period of time.

2. Tuning mechanism for radio receivers comprising a manually actuatable tuning dial; a resetting dial having its supporting axis coincident With that of the rst dial and mounted to turn independently of said irst dial; motion imparting mechanism co-operable with both dials and including resilient means Whose tension may be varied by a predetermined manual actuation imparted to the resetting dial; means for holding said resilient means under tension; and means for automatically releasing the tension on said resilient means to thus render the motion imparting mechanism active for a resetting of said rst dial.

3. Automatic tuning means for radio receivers comprising a plurality of independent, manually actuatable dials having corresponding co-operable graduations; time responsive mechanism operatively connecting one dial with the other for automatically changing the adjustment of saidl other dial, according as the said one dial shall have been first manually turned to establish a pre-selected co-action of the dial with its pointer; and a condenser shaft to which the said other dial is xed and about which the said one dial is free to turn.

4. Automatic tuning means for radio receivers comprising a plurality of independent, manually actuatable rotary dials, said dials having co-operable graduations; time-controlled mechanism; means co-operable with the time-controlled mechanism for automatically adjusting one dial to a predetermined extent in response to a pre-selected setting of the other dial and including rotary disks, and means co-operable with the disks and said time-controlled mechanism to impart limited movement to said one dial in either a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction at a predetermined time according as the said other dial shall have been previously adjusted manually for a pre-determined subsequent change of adjustment of said one dial.

5. Automatic tuning means for radio receivers comprising a plurality of independent, manually actuatable rotary dials, said dials having cooperable graduations; one of the dials having an axial opening, a condenser shaft supporting the other dial and passing through said axial o-pening and having manipulating means positioned in front of said one dial; the said shaft serving to support the said one dial for free turning movement in either direction about the axis of said shaft; means operatively connecting the respective dials With each other for determining the extent of movement to be imparted to the other dial; and means co-operable With the connecting means to render same active to move said other dial at a predetermined time and to an extent determinable by a manual pre-setting of said one dial.

6, Automatic tuning means for radio receivers comprising a plurality of independent manually actuatable rotary dials, said dials having cooperable graduations; one of the dials having an axial opening, a condenser shaft supporting the other dial and passing through said opening and having manipulating means positioned in front of said one dial; the said shaft serving to support the said one dial for free turning movement in either direction about the axis of said shaft; means operatively connecting the respective dials with each other for determining the extent of movement to be subsequently imparted to said other dial; means co-operable with the connecting means to render same active to move said other dial at a predetermined time and to an extent determinable by a pre-setting of said one dial to a selected position; and gear means for setting said one dial to thus act upon the connecting means for the aforementioned subsequent turning of the other dial.

7. In means for automatically resetting the tuning dial of a radio receiver, a pair of oppositely rotatable disks; means for holding the disks against rotary movement in one direction; means for releasing the holding means from the disks and for imparting predetermined rotary movement to the disks; the releasing and imparting means including a coil spring having one end fixed to one disk and its opposite end fixed to the other disk; and means for connecting the disks to the tuning dial of a radio receiver to reset same in response to movement of either disk.

8. In means for automatically resetting the tuning dial of a radio receiver, a pair of oppositely rotatable disks; means for holding the disks against rotary movement in one direction; means for releasing the disks from said holding means and for imparting predetermined rotary movement thereto; the releasing and imparting means including a coil spring having one end fixed to one disk and its opposite end fixed to the other saiddisk, an annular set of peripheral teeth on each disk, and time controlled dogs cooperable with the teeth of each disk; and means for connecting the disks to the tuning dial of a radio receiver to reset said tuning dial in re- -sponse to movement of either disk.

9. In means for automatically resetting the tuning dial of a radio receiver, a pair of oppositely rotatable disks; means for holding the disks against rotary movement in one direction; means for releasing the disks from said holding meansI and for imparting predetermined rotary movement thereto; the releasing and imparting means including a coil spring having o-ne end fixed to one disk and its opposite end xed to the otherl said disk, an annular set of peripheral teeth on each disk, and time-controlled dogs co-operable With the teeth of each disk; and a graduated rotary dial for selectively tensioning said spring to render either disk operative for predetermined` rotary movement.

ALFRED G. WHELLER. 

